Vice President and Chief Human Resources Officer

Cornell University (Cornell or the University) seeks a highly strategic, collaborative, and innovative leader to serve as its next Vice President and Chief Human Resources Officer (VP CHRO). Cornell University is a vibrant community of scholars, educators, students, and staff with cherished founding principles; world-class research; and curricula dedicated to preparing students to be well-educated, thoughtful citizens of the world. It is unique among its Ivy League peers as a private university with a land-grant mission, several New York State-supported colleges, and an international campus in Qatar. At this pivotal moment for American higher education—defined by financial pressures, workforce transformation, and evolving expectations of employees—the VP CHRO will guide Cornell through significant organizational change, some of which is already in process, while strengthening institutional trust, cohesion, and effectiveness.

Reporting to the President, and serving as a key leader, connector, and strategist across all of Cornell’s campuses, which include over 18,000 employees and 11 unions, the VP CHRO is responsible for directing the University’s overall strategic and operational human resources functions. As a trusted advisor to the President, Cabinet, Board of Trustees, and other institutional leaders, the VP CHRO will provide data-informed recommendations and pragmatic options on complex workforce, organizational, and cultural issues. Further, the VP CHRO will design, implement, and continually iterate on a change agenda that aligns with institutional priorities and capacity, while allowing flexibility for local needs and a shifting regulatory landscape.

The successful candidate will be a highly visible, engaged, and credible leader who thrives in complexity and brings tested best practices, empathy, and resolve to lead through change. They will work to elevate HR’s role across the University as a strategic partner and ensure a consistent, influential presence in enterprise decision-making. Combining strategic acumen with operational depth, the VP CHRO will help Cornell balance competing priorities with clarity and decisiveness. With a deep commitment to Cornell’s mission and community, the next VP CHRO will play a vital role in shaping the University’s future as an engaged employer of choice and upholding its reputation as a world-class academic institution.

The compensation for this role is set between $515,000 and $575,000.

Rebecca Kennedy and Dan Rodas are leading this search with Angelo Alexander and Nicole Sancilio.

Cornell welcomes students, faculty, and staff with diverse backgrounds from across the globe to pursue world-class education and career opportunities, to further the founding principle of “... any person ... any study.” No person shall be denied employment on the basis of any legally protected status or subjected to prohibited discrimination involving, but not limited to, such factors as race, ethnic or national origin, citizenship and immigration status, color, sex, pregnancy or pregnancy-related conditions, age, creed, religion, actual or perceived disability (including persons associated with such a person), arrest and/or conviction record, military or veteran status, sexual orientation, gender expression and/or identity, an individual’s genetic information, domestic violence victim status, familial status, marital status, or any other characteristic protected by applicable federal, state, or local law.

Cornell University embraces diversity in its workforce and seeks job candidates who will contribute to a climate that supports students, faculty, and staff of all identities and backgrounds. We hire based on merit and encourage people from historically underrepresented and/or marginalized identities to apply. Consistent with federal law, Cornell engages in affirmative action in employment for qualified protected veterans as defined in the Vietnam Era Veterans’ Readjustment Assistance Act (VEVRRA) and qualified individuals with disabilities under Section 503 of the Rehabilitation Act. We also recognize a lawful preference in employment practices for Native Americans living on or near Indian reservations in accordance with applicable law.